Craft Recordings—the boutique audiophile arm of Concord Music and guardian of legendary labels like Fantasy, Prestige, Riverside, Milestone, and Savoy—continues its noble mission of reviving rare gems through the excellent Original Jazz Classics (OJC) series. Released today is the 1957 debut album from the great Yusef Lateef, Jazz Mood.
Each OJC release is sourced from fresh lacquers cut directly from the original analog master tapes (“AAA”) by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio. The 180-gram vinyl is pressed at Record Technology Inc. (RTI), one of the most respected pressing plants in the world. True to form, the albums are housed in meticulously crafted tip-on jackets that faithfully recreate the look and feel of the original 1950s and ’60s editions.
Craft goes so far as to faithfully reproduce the original label colors, meaning that aside from the updated serial numbers, OJC editions are virtually indistinguishable from the originals—or as close as existing artwork allows. For digital listeners, every OJC release is also available on popular streaming platforms in 192 kHz, 24-bit hi-resolution audio, released simultaneously with the vinyl edition.
To get an idea of just how rare Yusef Lateef’s Jazz Mood is, collector’s marketplace Discogs proves a handy barometer: at the time of this writing there were only two original 1957 copies of Jazz Mood available starting at well over $200 in at best “VG+” condition. There are numerous questionable (probably “grey market” unofficial) releases from 2022 available that are likely made from dubious sources. These reissues also show up on eBay with laughably inflated price tags—so unless you enjoy paying triple for vinyl nostalgia, steer clear of the rip-off parade.
Clearly, a high quality reissue of Jazz Mood was long overdue and this OJC edition does not disappoint. It sounds wonderful for an album recorded in 1957! The pressing is quiet and well centered (both very important factors).
And what a great debut this is! Jazz Mood marked the beginning of Mr. Lateef’s journey into Eastern sounds melded with Western jazz flavors, a concept which he continued to explore across his career including on albums such as 1961’s wonderful Eastern Sounds (which I have reviewed elsewhere on the Internet). On Jazz Mood, Lateef pre-echoes the universe of so-called “world music” to come 10 years ahead, playing an oboe-like wooden reed instrument called an “argol”, a single stringed plucked “rabat” as well as “finger cymbals” and “scraper” in addition to flute and tenor saxophone.
You can order the new OJC edition of Yusef Lateef’s Jazz Moods from Amazon for $47.16. While this price may seem a bit high (hey, the price of everything has gone up lately) it is still much cheaper than trying to buy an original pressing on the used/collector’s market in far lesser condition. This OJC pressing will arguably sound much better as well given the high quality of vinyl used at a pressing plant like RTI. If you like Yusef Lateef’s music, it makes sense to order your copy sooner than later.
Where to buy: $47.16 at Amazon | $39 at Craft Recordings
Mark Smotroff is a deep music enthusiast / collector who has also worked in entertainment oriented marketing communications for decades supporting the likes of DTS, Sega and many others. He reviews vinyl for Analog Planet and has written for Audiophile Review, Sound+Vision, Mix, EQ, etc. You can learn more about him at LinkedIn.
Related Reading:
- Sonny Criss – Sonny’s Dream (Birth Of The New Cool) Review: Hard Bop Fire Reborn By Craft And OJC, Finally Done Right
- Hank Mobley’s Jazz Message #2 Review: Craft Recordings Delivers A Standout In The 2025 OJC Reissue Finale
- Review: Johnny Lytle And The Blackbyrds Vinyl Reissues
- Kenny Burrell 1957 Prestige Classic Reviewed: Craft Recordings Delivers Mid-Century Jazz Revival
